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I hurry through the rest of her grooming and then fill her bucket with fresh water before I grab a flake of hay and some oats for her.
“I’ll see you in a little bit,” I whisper to her, but she’s too busy munching on her snacks to pay me much mind.
I hurry out of the tent, intending to change into my regular clothes and then going to see if I can find Gavin. I jog out of the tent and straight into something hard. I know before I look up that it’s Gavin, and a blush stains my cheeks as I breathe in his now familiar scent.
How is it possible that I missed him in the short time we’ve been apart? I don’t even know him, yet my confused heart thinks we already belong to each other.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” he jokes, resting his hands on my shoulders to steady me.
I wince. “I really need to start looking where I’m going. Sorry about that.”
“It’s not a bother,” he says with a warm smile.
I can’t help but return it, his blue eyes sparkling the longer he looks at me.
“I was hoping to catch you actually. I thought maybe you would want to join me for something to eat at the concession stand?”
My stomach growls, and I blush harder as Gavin grins down at me. He knows he has me right where he wants me. Good thing it’s right where I want to be, too.
“Alright. Just let me change really quick?”
“Sure thing.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He nods, giving my shoulders one last squeeze before dropping his hands. I ignore the coldness sweeping through me and turn, weaving between trunks and other tents until I reach mine. I rush inside and grab a shirt and a pair of jeans, quickly changing into them. It isn’t until I’m headed back to meet Gavin that I realize maybe I should have dressed up a little bit more.
You don’t have anything fancier,I remind myself, and I round the corner. Shame tries to bring down my good mood, but I don’t let it. Not today. Not when I have a sexy, kind stranger wanting to make a good impression for some reason.
Gavin’s eyes light up when he sees me, and my body relaxes. He likes me just fine in my old jeans and shirt.
I take a deep breath as I get closer to him, reminding myself one last time that this isn’t forever. It can’t be. He’s just a handsome, tempting distraction from my miserable life for a few hours. That’s all.
You’re just going to have some fun tonight. Nothing more, nothing less.
I smile as I reach Gavin’s side, and he holds out his hand.
“Ready?” he asks.
I give him my brightest smile, wishing with all my heart for the best night of my life. It won’t last forever, but I can hold on to the memory when I have to go back to the real world.
“Ready.”
I place my hand in Gavin’s, and he surprises me by lifting it to his lips, pressing a kiss to each one of my knuckles. Oh, lord, this man. He’s ruining me already, and we’ve barely spent five minutes together.
What did I get myself into?
FIVE
Gavin
Piaand I make our way to one of the concession stands, and I smile as I watch her bite her lip and peruse the menu.
Everything about her draws me in, from her long lashes brushing against her freckle-dusted cheeks to the graceful curve of her hips. She has no idea how beautiful she is, how intoxicating her mere presence is to me.
Pia looks so small, her body silhouetted by the flashing lights of the circus in the background. Chaos surrounds her, yet she manages to carry a quiet, steady peace with her wherever she goes. My newfound protective urge rises once again, winding itself around my spine and weaving in and out of my cells.
I need to protect her peace. I need to protect everything about this girl.
